How to Become a Bush Pilot

James Wynbrandt and Flying Staff

Wednesday, November 16, 2016 at 03:19 PM ET

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Floatplanes are staples of North American bush operations. Georgian Bay Airways

Key Takeaways:

Success as a bush pilot, whether in commercial or missionary operations, fundamentally requires excellent backcountry flying skills, self-reliance, resourcefulness, and the right attitude for operating in remote areas with minimal support.
Career paths include commercial operations (supporting tourism, resource industries) and missionary aviation (aiding isolated communities), both utilizing diverse aircraft from Piper Cubs to turbine Kodiaks, often with specialized gear like floats or tailwheels.
Becoming a bush pilot typically involves obtaining commercial and instrument pilot certificates, specialized endorsements (float, tailwheel), and often starting with entry-level ground work; additional practical skills like an A&P license or other trades significantly boost employability.
Compensation for commercial bush pilots varies widely ($2,500-$8,000+ monthly), while missionary pilots typically self-fund their $4,000-$6,000 monthly expenses and salary through donor networks, valuing intrinsic rewards like "changed lives" and "absolute freedom."

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Bush pilots operate in remote areas worldwide with little operational support. Career success and survival require excellent backcountry flying skills, self-reliance and resourcefulness, and above all, the right attitude, say bush pilots Glen Ferguson and Keith Saulnier. They represent the two bush-pilot career paths you might consider: missionary aviation and commercial operations.

Saulnier owns Georgian Bay Airways in Parry Sound, Ontario, which offers a Career Bush Pilot Program, and Ferguson is CEO of the International Association of Missionary Aviation (IAMA), whose 60-some member organizations include mission-aviation fellowships and colleges with mission-aviation programs. Here are their tips for becoming a bush pilot.